1Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers #Ps 44:1Ac 7:11 were all under the cloud, #Ex 13:21 all passed through the sea, #Ex 14:292and all were baptized #Ac 22:16 into Moses #Ps 77:20Mt 8:4Heb 3:2 in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food, #Ex 16:314and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock #Ex 17:6Nm 20:7-13 that followed them, and that rock was Christ. #Jn 4:146:30-355But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. #Jd 5

6Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire #Mt 27:23Jms 4:2 evil things as they did. # Lit they desired#Nm 11:4Ps 78:18|NoBook| 106:147Don’t become idolaters #Eph 5:5 as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. # Or to dance#Ex 32:6# Ex 32:68Let us not commit sexual immorality #1Co 6:18Rv 2:14|NoBook| 17:2|NoBook| 18:3 as some of them did, # Lit them committed sexual immorality and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead. #Nm 25:1-18Ps 106:299Let us not test Christ as some of them did # Lit them tested and were destroyed by snakes. #Nm 21:610Nor should we complain #Jn 6:41Jd 16 as some of them did, # Lit them complained#Nm 16:41-50 and were killed by the destroyer. # Or the destroying angel#Ex 12:232Sm 24:161Ch 21:15Ps 78:4911Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, #Ps 102:18 on whom the ends of the ages #Mk 13:7 have come. #Mk 10:3012So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. #Pr 24:16Heb 6:813No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, #Nm 12:7 and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape #2Pt 2:9 so that you are able to bear it.

Warning against Idolatry

14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup #Mt 26:27Mk 14:23Lk 22:171Co 11:25-26 of blessing #Mk 6:41Gl 3:14 that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread #Mt 26:26Mk 14:22Lk 22:19Ac 2:42|NoBook| 20:7 that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one #Jn 11:52Eph 4:4 body, for all of us share that one bread. 18Look at the people of Israel. # Lit Look at Israel according to the flesh Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? #Gn 8:20Lv 1:5Nm 3:26Dt 12:271Sm 2:281Ch 6:49Ps 26:6Ezk 8:15Heb 7:1319What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, but I do say that what they # Other mss read Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? #Ec 6:10

Christian Liberty

23“Everything is permissible,” # Other mss add for me# See note at 1Co 6:12-13. but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” # Other mss add for me but not everything builds up. 24No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. #Mk 10:45Php 2:4

25Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, 26for the earth is the Lord’s, #Mk 13:19 and all that is in it. #Ps 24:1# Ps 24:127If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, #Lk 10:8 out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. # Other mss add “For the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.”29I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged #Lk 6:37 by another person’s conscience? 30If I partake with thanks, #Mk 8:6Rm 1:8 why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. #Mk 10:37Lk 9:32Jn 17:242Co 3:182Pt 3:1832Give no offense #Ac 24:16Php 1:10 to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, 33just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, #Mk 10:45 so that they may be saved.